SBY, Democrats and populism

SBY, Democrats and populism Donny SYofyan ;  A Graduate of the University of Canberra, Australia, Lecturer at the School of Cultural Sciences at Andalas University

JAKARTA POST, 25 April 2013

After being unanimously elected chairman of the graft-tainted Democratic Party at the party’s extraordinary congress in Bali on March 30, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono introduced three strategies to attract public attention. He launched his official Twitter account, @SBYudhoyono, announced a plan to hold a US-style primary next year to choose the party’s presidential candidate and relinquished two of his major roles in the party during a management restructuring over the weekend. Yudhoyono proposed the ideas with the intention of reinforcing his party’s marketing strategy. Using Ashfroth and Kreiner’s ideas on political marketing, efforts to improve the party’s negative image in the eyes of people require a reframing process.  It attempts to turn negative stigma attached to a political party into a positive portrayal and well-deserved accolades. At this point, Yudhoyono’s idea about a national convention, in which the party’s presidential candidate will be selected by delegates at a national party conference, and his Twitter account can be considered promising political marketing moves. By launching his Twitter account, Yudhoyono will greet the netizen, make Twitter part of his new life and immerse himself in a dialogue that is free and equal. Yudhoyono attempts to prevent any disconnect between ideals and reality despite the fact that he will have to respond to both the babble and the critiques to maintain a connection with his followers.  Through this Twitter account, it is likely that Yudhoyono wants to have direct communication with the people beyond conventional, bureaucratic and time-consuming channels.  As it is widely known, the President generally communicates and interacts with people directly through visits to regions of the country. Prior to his current Twitter account, Yudhoyono opened PO BOX 9949 and text message center 9949 for people who wanted to share reports, grievances or information. It is important to note that President Yudhoyono must have prepared himself for an onslaught as soon as he entered Twitterland. This is particularly necessary amid a controversial push by the government to reinstate criminal charges for insulting the head of state. Given the plan to restore an article to the Criminal Code that protects the presidency from verbal attacks, Twitter users could potentially be dragged into court for their tweets. The Democratic Party’s primary to select its presidential candidate is another breakthrough under Yudhoyono’s leadership. It is clear that his idea is a response to accusations that his party had become undemocratic following his election as party chairman.  The scheme to select the party’s presidential candidate is aimed at attracting voters and improving the Democrats’ electability ahead of 2014’s general election.  The Democratic Party’s popularity might improve if the public responds positively to the idea, while Yudhoyono will be perceived as more trustworthy. Like it or not, it is all about image building. Through the convention, Yudhoyono aspires to confirm that his party will bring young people forward and break away from the popular thinking that the best presidential candidate must come from the military. Yet this will be in vain if it is only the party elites who have a say at the convention. The Democratic Party’s presidential primary race is a progressive step because it will open the door for entirely new candidates. However, this measure might be reduced to an image-building effort without transparency or democracy.  Some claim that Yudhoyono’s idea of a primary convention is not a serious proposal since he failed to mention it during the extraordinary congress in Bali in March in which he was elected. While the Democrats’ concept of a primary convention has been well-received, the idea could be moot if the party fails to win the minimum 20 percent of votes in the legislative election needed in order to nominate a presidential candidate. Yudhoyono’s last breakthrough to raise his Democratic Party’s populist image is to let go of his major roles in the party. President Yudhoyono who initially had four positions now only serves as the party chairman and head of the powerful supreme assembly. It seems that the restructuring order comes from Yudhoyono, who wants to be less involved in the management of the party. It is undeniable however that Yudhoyono has kept his firm grip on the party intact. As the supreme assembly leader, Yudhoyono is responsible for the arrangement and validation of the legislative candidates list, determining candidates for governor and deputy governor posts and presidential and vice presidential aspirants.  Where Yudhoyono has perhaps failed in his message of a restructured party is perhaps the retention of his youngest son Edhie Baskoro as the party’s secretary general. People will easily identify the Democrats as a party that is establishing a dynasty, which would make it no different from other parties. ●